Key points:
1) This study sought to determine whether smoking was a risk factor for CRS and whether it has an impact on disease specific quality of life.
2) We found no significant difference in active smoking prevalence by CRS disease (CRSsNPs and CRSwNPs) vs controls. We were able however to demonstrate a significant symptom burden associated with smoking, with significantly worse SNOT-22 scores in the smoking cohort by a mean magnitude of 10 points.
3) Cigarette smoke has a deleterious effect on the quality of life and symptom burden of patients with CRS and clinicians should encourage smoking cessation alongside general CRS medical management.